Casa Silva

Stretching from the Andes through the flatlands to the Pacific Ocean, the Colchagua Valley reflects the rugged beauty and diversity of Chile’s natural landscapes. Vineyards and plains surround the hotel everywhere you look, with the mountains rising dramatically in the background.

Guestrooms at Casa Silva are appointed in keeping with the property’s historic, rustic theme, with a homely décor of polished parquet floors, rugged wooden doors and window frames, and walls papered in floral patterns. Wall art depicts the horses and landscapes for which this region of Chile is famous, and antique furnishings are carved from rich dark wood; some rooms feature grand four-poster beds. Bathrooms are similarly classic in design, with monochrome floor tiles and vintage fixtures and fittings. Despite the old-school design, rooms feature up-to-date amenities including Wi-Fi and TVs, to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible.

The cosy dining room is the venue for breakfast each morning, where you can greet the day with a continental spread of fresh fruit, pastries, cold cuts and cheeses, all washed down with Italian-style coffee. For lunch and dinner, locally sourced meat, fish and vegetables are served up in view of the vineyards and polo fields, paired – of course – with the finest wines from the estate.

Rooms open out onto a lovely communal outdoor pool, which is perfect for cooling off from the hot afternoon sun with a refreshing dip.

This part of Chile is famous as the home of the huaso, or Chilean cowboy. You can admire their traditional horsemanship skills at the on-site rodeo stadium and show jumping arena, and take lessons to learn to horse ride yourself. There’s even a top-class polo field on-site, which hosts major national tournaments – be sure to catch a game while you’re here. If horses aren’t your thing, try picking up a few steps of the cuenca – a traditional folk dance. Besides horses, the main attraction at Casa Silva is wine, and there’s no end of opportunities to taste the finest produce from the estate’s vineyards at the wine cellar – a state-of-the-art facility housed in historic, atmospheric surroundings.